Hot start, fine finish key for ND

September 02, 2006|SCOTT DAVIDSON Tribune Staff Writer

SOUTH BEND -- There's no shortage of talent on the Notre Dame volleyball roster this fall. There also was no shortage of fight in Valparaiso Friday night. The visiting Crusaders put up a tussle before falling to the No. 21 Irish 3-1 in the Shamrock Invitational. Notre Dame, with seven freshmen, rode a hot start and a comeback win in game three for a 30-25, 27-30, 31-29, 30-22 victory at the Joyce Center. Adrianna Stasiuk, Notre Dame's most experienced player, and freshmen Christina Kaelin and Megan Fesl powered the Irish. Stasiuk, a 5-foot-10 junior co-captain, finished with 20 kills and 14 digs. The 5-10 Kaelin popped 21 kills while the 6-1 Fesl added 16. The Crusaders, with five former area standouts making a homecoming, had a chance. Valparaiso led 28-23 late in game three before the Irish rallied. The hosts got two big kills and a pair of clutch blocks from Justine Stremick to pull out the win. "I thought we just had fun and competed at the end of game three,'' said Irish coach Debbie Brown. "You could see it in our players' faces. "This was a good match for us, a good step. We have a lot of talent and want to use it. It's competitive every day in practice. Adrianna carries a heavy load for us. She's our best passer and a key hitter. "I give Valpo credit. I thought they played some great defense. Brittany Marks was phenomenal for them. She had some great reads and great digs.'' Marks, the former Elkhart Memorial star, did have a big match. The sophomore libero was all over the floor with 22 digs. Former Memorial standout Allison Sears had 14 kills and Penn grad Jessie Fox 11 for the Crusaders. Freshman Haley Wise (Mishawaka) saw action in two games. Sears, a 6-0 sophomore, is happy to be back on the court. The middle blocker missed most of last season after a knee injury in her final high school basketball game at Memorial in 2005. "It's indescribable to be back playing,'' said Sears. "It's like finally I feel like a presence. It was frustrating tonight. Game three was ours. We should of won that one.'' The Irish, now 2-0, blazed to a 9-0 lead to open game one. Valpo battled back before falling in the opener. The Crusaders regrouped to take game two, getting strong play from freshman Angie Porche to pull away from a 27-all tie. Notre Dame led 15-8 in game three before Valpo rallied to its 28-23 lead only to see the Irish rally for the win. "It's been amazing to play here and I'm going to miss it,'' said Fox, one of just two Valpo seniors. "I used to come here when I was little and I idolized the players.'' Valpo coach Carin Avery, a former star player at Mishawaka, knew her team let a golden opportunity slip away. "Losing game three was heartbreaking,'' said Avery. "We just couldn't find a way to finish it. But, I'm proud of how we never gave up all night. "I thought Brittany was spectacular for us. There are a lot of things we can do better and we saw some of those.'' Valpo, 3-2, lost 3-0 to No. 6 Santa Clara earlier Friday. Freshman Val Bollenbacher, who starred at Bremen, had four kills for the Crusaders. Tournament play continues today with Valpo against No. 13 Missouri at 10 a.m., followed by Notre Dame and Idaho at 12:30, Valpo-Idaho at 4:30 and Notre Dame-Missouri at 7. NOTRE DAME BEAT VALPARAISO 30-25, 27-30, 31-29, 30-22At South Bend Kills: Christina Kaelin (ND) 21, Adrianna Stasiuk (ND) 20, Megan Fesl (ND) 16; Nicole Schultz (V) 16, Allison Sears (V) 14, Angie Porche (V) 14, Jessie Fox (V) 11. Blocks: Justine Stremick (ND) 6, Stasiuk 5; Fox 4, Sears 4, Sara Hughes (V) 4. Assists: Jamel Nicholas (ND) 36, Ashley Tarutis (ND) 27; Hughes 47. Aces: Danielle Herndon (ND) 3; Brittany Marks (V) 2. Digs: Herndon 24, Stasiuk 14, Tarutis 13, Nicholas 10, Fesl 10; Marks 22, Tiffany Meikle (V) 18, Hughes 11. Records: Notre Dame 2-0, Valparaiso 3-2.